


Nerd

by chrysanthemumbell



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Lance (Voltron) Angst, One Shot, Pidge | Katie Holt Angst, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2019-03-07 19:50:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13442106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chrysanthemumbell/pseuds/chrysanthemumbell
Summary: "Katie Holt is many things. She is a teenage girl. She is a younger sister and a daughter. She is an inventor of sorts, a programmer, a technology lover, and she’d even say she’s pretty smart. But a nerd?Maybe. It’s just a label, after all, and maybe it’s a synonym for someone who’s passionate about academics, which she is (though it’s not like she loves school). But when a classmate says it in front of the whole class like it’s something to be ashamed of, like it’s a terrible thing to be, then the word “nerd” takes on a totally different meaning."Where Pidge is precious and Lance is a protective older bro.





	Nerd

**Author's Note:**

> short one-shot focusing on Pidge and Lance's sibling relationship

“Nerd.”

 

Katie Holt is many things. She is a teenage girl. She is a younger sister and a daughter. She is an inventor of sorts, a programmer, a technology lover, and she’d even say she’s pretty smart. But a nerd?

 

Maybe. It’s just a label, after all, and maybe it’s a synonym for someone who’s passionate about academics, which she is (though it’s not like she loves school). But when a classmate says it in front of the whole class like it’s something to be ashamed of, like it’s a terrible thing to be, then the word “nerd” takes on a totally different meaning.

 

The entire class is staring at her, and she can faintly hear laughter amidst her heart beating loud and clear in her ears, like it’s right next to them. _Thump. Thump. Thump._

 

She doesn’t want to look and see their judgmental stares boring into her. She doesn’t want to see them sneering at her pitiful form, hunched over her desk in embarrassment. She doesn’t want to cry in front of everyone.

 

But her body thinks otherwise. She can feel tears prickling, threatening to spill over the edge, and as a tear trails down her pale cheek, it burns hot on her skin. Everything is too much. She needs to leave. It’s too hot. It’s too much. She’s probably shaking.

 

Is Katie weak? A single word makes her cower in shame, so is she pathetic? She doesn’t know. But at the moment, it’s the most disgusting word she’s ever heard, and it’s everything she doesn’t want to be, because it made her peers look at her like _that._ She knows it’s not her fault they’re so mean, but she wishes she was more… likable. Then this would never happen.

 

She resolves to be stronger, so she can stand up for herself. She resolves to be stronger, so she won’t cry when she hears that word. She resolves to be stronger, when Matt leaves and mysteriously goes missing. Fury drives her search for him, and before she knows it, she’s in the Garrison at age 15, disguised as a boy named Pidge Gunderson and wearing Matt’s round glasses. She doesn’t care anymore if she’s called a nerd. All she cares about is getting her brother back, who hugged her and laughed with her and smiled at her when she needed it most. He was there for her. Now she’s determined to be there for him.

 

…

 

“Nerd.”

 

Katie’s head whips around to stare at Lance.

 

Of course it’s just Lance, only Lance. But Katie swears she can feel the gazes of her classmates burning into her skin, and suddenly she’s back in that cramped classroom, surrounded by so many people yet feeling so alone. Katie can’t believe it. She thought she was over whatever this is already.

 

But then she remembers this is Lance. Lance, who is the biggest, dumbest, dork in the world. Lance, who is safe and would never try to hurt her. Lance, who is Katie’s friend. And as Katie looks at Lance, she can see the fondness in his eyes as he says the word, not like it’s something shameful, but like it’s an endearing nickname. At that moment, he looks exactly like Matt, the way he would smile at her playfully but kindly, and she starts to cry.

 

She doesn’t know how it happens, but the next second Lance’s long arms are wrapped around her gently, and she feels just as young and vulnerable as she did before she resolved to be stronger. Somehow, it doesn’t feel like she’s broken or weak. She’s not surrounded by judgmental students, only her close friend who cares about her.

 

“Sorry Pidge, I swear I didn’t mean it like that,” Lance says guiltily, though his voice is soothing as if he’s comforted his siblings like this many times.

 

“I know,” Katie says.

 

“Did… someone ever call you that and mean it like that?” Lance carefully asks.

  
“Yes,” Katie replies softly. “But they were just jerks. They don’t really bother me much anymore, I know I’m a million times smarter than them,” she jokes half-heartedly.

 

“There were some guys who bothered me in middle school,” Lance says. “I was actually a pretty shy kid back then, believe it or not. I wasn’t strong at all, either, so it was pretty easy to push me around, I guess.” Lance laughs self-deprecatingly and Katie frowns.

 

“I started believing them and trying to make myself better. I wanted people to like me. I joked around a lot, and when people laughed with me and not at me, it really made me feel better about myself. And I got into the Garrison and left those jerks behind!” Lance suddenly grins. “I realized it didn’t matter what they thought of me. And I doubt they ever got to go to space and pilot the most amazing robot lion!”

 

“Nah, Green is obviously the best lion,” Katie interjects, though she’s smiling too. “But really. Thanks. I feel a lot better now.”

 

“No prob, Pidgey! I'll beat up anyone who hurts you,” Lance beams, picking up his controller. “And Blue is the best.”

 

“No way,” Katie snickers, controller in hand, “and I’ll prove it by winning the next stage!”

  
“No fair! You always win,” Lance pouts, and Katie only laughs. She can’t wait for Lance to meet Matt.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
